Automatic musical instrument.



F. A. PILCHER.

Patented May 1, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I0, 1912.

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F. A. PILCHER.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL lNsTRu MENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I0 1912.

Patented May 1, 191.7.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.l

FRANK A. PILCHER, OF BINGI-IAMTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T MYRON vC. BEMAN`AND ONE-THIRD TO FRANK IBZEIMAN,l BOTH 0F BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1917.

Application filed May 10, l191,2. Serial No. 696,536.

` Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the-accompanying drawing.

My invention has to dovwith automatically1 controlled pipe organs `of the commonly known type, and is directed particularly to the securement of adaptability for the renrecited.

dition of music from music sheets arranged in various ways, and this without the use of cumbersome devices and connections, and without the usually. attendant weak and unreliable constructions subject at times to variations due to atmospheric or climatic conditions. While having the particular relation and direction stated however, it will be apparent upon an understanding of my invention that the'same may be used either as a whole or in part in connection with musical instruments of other types, with attendant advantages additional to those just As is well known, the pipe organ is one of the most diflicult of instruments to control, y'owing to the great number of registers employed and to the correspondingly great Vnumber of'stop control devices of the stop action requisite to eect the desired changes from one register to another, to effect the combinations between the same, and the general government of the individual registers. In pneumatically controlled organs of the type to which the-present invention relates,

-it has previously been customary to make use of, a very cumbersome control system comprising pneumatic primaries, pneumatic secondaries and other devices of this nature controlled in their action from a trackerboard and perforated music sheet to effect the orderly operation of the various sounding devices of the registers and the stop action. v According to my invention the pneumatic primaries, pneumatic secondaries and other. devices of this nature which have formerly been used are eliminated, and the sounding devices, stop action and other acsecured through the use of my invention result from a particular relation and combinaerboard which itself enters into and forms a part of my invention. This trackerbo'ard 1s provlded with two parallell rows of con* trol connections, the respective connectionsv of the rows being staggered with respect to each other. In other words the control connections of one of said rows are positioned on lines of traverse passing substantially midway lbetween the connections of the other of said rows. The connections in the two rows are preferably equal in number each to each and of substantially the same dimensions. They are normally all in operation at the same time. The control devices of one register are operativelyassociated with one of said parallel rows of trackerboard control connections, while `the control devices of another one or two registers are associated with the other of s'aid rows. The coperating perforated music sheet is prepared by interpolating the control perforations for the one register controlled through one row between those ofthe register or registers controlled through the other row.

By the provision of suitable well-known types of switches in `electrical controlling circuits 'extending from the control devices associated with the trackerboard to the operating devices directly controlling the stop action and sounding devices, complete shifts may be made of the registers and stop action from control through one group of control connections to another. Thus the registers may beshifted tov control from the upper set of control connections instead 0f the fering with the stop action, and so also the two registers may be operated, one from a `part of each row of trackerboard control connections, and the sto'p action may `be operated at the same time either from one or from both rows. The number of combinations is great, and it will be readily seen that the provisionV of suclfa means makes it possible to render music from sheets on lwhich it is arranged in many .different ways. Thus although sheets may b'e at hand, one of'which has music for the accompaniment 'llO 5 vidually rendered without. difliculty by a simple transposition of the 'control of the registers fromone side of'thetrackerboard` to the other. The particular arrangement of the control perforationsin-two rows positioned as speciiiedmakes the control shift eay and operation certain.

' ther advanta es will appear after a full understanding o my'invention.

In the accompanying'drawings I have shown one embodiment of my invention.

` Of. the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the instrument, certain of the relay control and operating elements being shown in section,

i' 20 and the trackerboard beingalso vshown in section. Y

Fig. 2 is a front elevation-of 'the trackerboard showing the .upper ,portion of the Icooperating perforated music sheet;` Y

Fig. 3' is a front elevation of the same trackerboard showing thev modiiiedocontrol arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view ofa modied form of trip stop actionfboxof .the type shown generally'in Fig. 1'.v

Referring first to Figs 1 and 2 ity may be seen that inthis .system I make use of a trackerboard 10 having two parallel rows 'of staggered control connections or perforations, substantially coextensive with each' other. The connections inone ofthe rows 11 are positioned on lines of traverse passing midway vbetween the connections 12 of -the :other row.' In other'words, the connections 40Min each of theftwo rows are similarly spacedY and' are of'. substantially the same size; and the connections of one roware positioned op positethe bridges 13 4of the other row in the line ofV travel. "'Preferabl" ftheconnections do not overlap,'but" arefo equalor less extent than the-'bridges'betw'ee'nthe connec- A note sheet ofi-the usualv formcoper- 'ates' withthis .trackerboard' .It i'spasse'd over the'trackerboard from topto bottom,

being drawn fromtheu'pp'er spool 15 byi'the rotation ofthe winding roll 16. The perfov rations in this sheet however arediiferently positioned fromthose inthe usual sheetsin that control-perforations for the upper row trackerboard connections- `1'1' are interpolated end extend to the individual pneumato-electric actions 18 through which thestop action is controlled.- As in icated by the legends in Fig. 2 Lcontrol-connecting tubes 19 (Fi 1) extend from the left hand'portion o the lower row of trackerboard connections 12 to the accompaniment controlling pneumatoelectric actions 20, while connecting tubes 21 7o extend from the righthand portion of the row of perforations 12 to the solo pneumatoelectric actions 22. Thus the stop action is controlled entirely in this embodiment from the top row 11 of trackerboard connections 1,5 while the accompaniment and solo pneumatoelectric actions are controlled each from a different portion of the lower row 12 of trackerboard connections. Thus the accompaniment and solo parts are arranged'on op- 80 posite sides of the center of the perforated music sheet 14 while the stop action part of the music is interpolated between the accompaniment and solo parts. Instead of arranging the control connections of the stop action 1n the upper row, I may arrange the -control connections of an instrument register in the upper/row, and the stop action at one-end in either or both rows as designated by legends in Fig. 3. Hereinl are the principal features of my invention. Proceeding now further, it will be seen how well these features lend themselves to the elimination of complications in the remainder of the control system, and in the attainment of adaptability and flexibility. I The :controlp'neumatics 18, 2O and 22 of the stop action and the two registers respectively are identically alike, and the pneumatic`18 only, therefore need be described. It comprises a box 23 over the bottom of i which extends a diaphragm 24 which forms this pneumatic. A duct 25 connects the in- 105 terior: of the pneumatic with the upper part of the box 23 above the diaphragm 24, while vsuction tube 26.1connects the u per. part of .the box with any suitable'suction pump or bellows. The operation is as usual.

Extendlng into the upper space of the box 23 from an outer terminal 27 and over- *lyingl the diaphragm 24 is a contact spring f28-adapted to be moved .by diaphragm 24 into' contact with the fixed terminal v29 115 which extends through the top of the box and into proximity to Vthe end of the Contact spring 28.

An operating arm 30 is connected with the top of the dlaphragm v24, and the Aspring 28 rests upon its outer 1'20 end, pressing the diaphragm 24 down- Wardly. A stop 31 limits' this downward movement.` Wheneverthe pneumatic is actua-tedupon the opening of the corresponding connection o f-the row 11 to atmosphere, 125g an electrical contact is made' between the vspring 28 and the terminal 29.

By this contact a vcircuit is completed from battery B over conductor 32 and conductor 33 to and including magnet 34 130 1oo i sure pump or bellows as usual.

and back by conductor 35 to the battery. The magnet 34 is the control magnet of one of the operating pneumatics of the stop action. This pneumatic is constructed in general in a manner essentially similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 952,546, March l22, 1910. It comprises generally a box 36 open to the wind' blast from a presthe box and mounted on shelf 37 is power pneumatic 38 Carrying at its outer end a depending pivoted operating arm 39 which coperates` with the oscillating valve control member 40. This member 40 is pivoted to a post 41 and carries at each end a valve 42 adapted respectively to close the open ends of ducts 43 and 44 which lead from the interior of the box 36 to the pneumatic devices for operating the stop action. In connection with the duct 44 is shown one of these devices 45 which may be any known type or form and which may control the stop action in any suitable manner.

When the pneumatic 38 is collapsed, assuming that the lever 40 is in the position shown in which one valve 42 closes the duct 44 while the duct 43 is opened, the arm 39 passes on the left hand side of the central pyramidal shifting projection 46 and operates the member 40 to close the duct 43 and open duct 44 which was previously closed. Upon a succeeding operation of the pneumatic 38` the member 39 passes to the opposite side of the shifting projection 46 and shifts the member 40 back to its previous position. Thus by this operation that duct 43 or 44 which is closed is always opened by an action of the pneumatic, and4 that which was opened is' closed.v The detailed construction of these parts and their operation, lincluding-that of the lever 47,

are given in full in my prior Patent No. 952,546 issued March 22, 1910, and need not be repeated here. l

The control of the pneumatic 38 is ef- -ected through magnet 34. The magnet 34 is mounted in an extension 48 from the box 36. It is a double pole magnet and straddles the aperture 49 in a valve plate 50 on which it is mounted and which is i'itted over the valve chamber 51 formed in the bottom of the extension 48. Extending through the bottom of the valve chamber is a vent tube 52 the upper end of which is faced to form a valveseat. A valve 53 is placed in the valve chamber between the valve seats of the members 50 and 52. Preferably it is in thev form of a disk of magnetic material covered with suitable material adapting it to eect tight closures of the valve openings 49 and 54 although when the magnet 34 is denergized, air un- Within f der pressure passes through the chamber 51 and duct 55 and maintains the pneumatic 38 distended. When however the magnet vis energized by the closing of this circuit by' one of the pneuma-to-electric actions 18, the valve armature 53 isattracted, closing the valve chamber from the wind lchest and venting the pneumatic 38\through the valve 52, thus collapsing the pneumatic and operating the stop action through the oscillation of the Valved carrying member 40.

The control pneumato-electric actions 20 and 22 connect re'spectivelywith the operating pneumatics 56 and 57 of separate registers as for instance of the accompaniment and solo parts. The circuits of these operating pneumatics are closed by the control pneumato-electric actions 20 and 22 in a manner entirely similar to that in which the circuit of the magnet A34 of the stop action is closed by a control pneumatoelectric action 18. The operating pneumatics 56, 57 of all of the'registers are essentially the same and consequently only one need be described.

The operating pneumatics for the sounding devices comprise boxes 58 open to the wind blast from the pressure chamber, and containing pneumatics 59 constituted by one side wall of the box 58 and diaphragm 60 pivoted at its lower end to the wall of the box and flexibly connected at its upper'end as is usual and as more fully described in my prior Patent No. 815,978, March 27, 1906. The pipes 61 are connected with the interior of the box through ducts 63 the inner end of which terminates in an inclined valve seat 64 controlled by a valve 65 pivoted at itsl upper end and spring pressed to its closed position -by spring 66. The lower end of the valve is connected to the side 60.0f the pneumatic by a flexible cord or other such means 67. Whenever the pneumatic 59 is collapsed the valve is opened and air from the wind-blast admitted to operate the pipe or other sounding device 61.

The pneumatic 59 is electrically controlled by a magnet 68 which operates a disk valve 69 through a construction and in a manner entirely similar to -that shown in connection with the stop action previously described. 70 is the valve opening in the plate 71 on which the magnet is mounted, 72 is the valve chamber, 73 is the vent tube and 74 is the duct communicating with the interior of the pneumatic. Thus it is apparent that direct electrical action is secured without the use of pneumatic primaries, pneumatic secondaries, etc. The result is the extremely light and eiiicient construction, and rapid and accurate operation. 4

Havingnow an understanding of the in- 4 vention its adaptability will be manifest.

or which may be pneumatically or electrically operated by devices under the control of the perforations in the trackerboard, the control of' the lregisters may be interchangeably had from different parts of the trackerboard without-in any wise impairing the elli- Y ciency of action.' In Fig. 1 I have shown a double-pole double-throw, reversing switch 7 5 which, it is to be understood isv one element of a gang switch adapted to effect such an interchange between thevoperating devices 56 of the accompaniment register and the devices 57 of the solo register, thus interchanging them between the right andv left portions of the lower row of perforations 12 of the. trackerboard. I have shown `this switch diagrammatically, with the usual bridging contacts or blades indicated in dotted lines but its structural form is well known in the art as are also the pneumatic and electrical devices by which it may be automatically operated. -In fact control pneumatics 18 and the trip stop-action of the type shown may be used to throw the switch 75.

In a similar manner and by the use of en-v tirely .similar means, the two registers shown -trackerboard may be so may be interchanged between the top and `bottom rows of perforations 11 and 12 of or with music written for several registers,

no matter what the record arrangements of the sheet, whether the record of one register is right andthe other lleft with the stop action interpolated between the two as shown, or whetherthe -recordsof the two registers are interpolated, and the stop actionis at one side of the sheet, and no matter onwhicli side the record of a given register is writ- "tene-by the -use of-proper switches, the control system. may be adapted to suit. And

vif, convenience "dictate's that the record'of a register' lshall sometimes bek written ion' one side and sometimes on the other. of the same sheet, theshift', may -be made in the control system byfthefsiinple inclusion of a control perforation` adapted `automatically toefect the shift as indicated. Such a control r-4 foration andthe method of use are descri d in my prior patent hereinabove referred'to.

Havin thus described my invention what I c aim and. desire to secure by LettersA Patent is:

v 1. vAn automatic musical instrument coin-v prising a stop action and player action for a given register, a trackerboard having two fr owsl of staggered control connections, con- 'circuit closers therethrough.

trol devices fox-'the stop action .operatively 65 connected to the-control connections of one of said rows, and control devices for the player action operatively connected with the control connections of the other of said rows.

2. An automatic musical instrument comprising a stop action and sets of player actions for a plurality of registers, a trackerboard having two rows' of staggered control connections, control devices for the stop action operatively connected to th'e con- 75 tro connections of one of said rows, and a Set of control devices for each of said sets of player' actions each operatively connected to control connections of the other row, one set to the right ortion andthe other to the left portion oi) the row, and means for interchangin the control of said set of player actions etween the right and left portions of said row. f 4. An automatic musical instrument comprising: sounding devices arranged in a plurality of registers; means for actuating said sounding devices individually; means for controllingeach register of sounding devices as a whole; electromagnets one for actuating each of the last mentioned controllin means; a branch circuit for each of sai magnets; a source of current for all of said 10 circuits; a pneumatically operated circuit closer in jeach. branch; a single manual 'switch in each branch, to open and close the same and thereby cut out or cut in at will the corresponding controlling device; a gang reversing switch connected in a plurality of. said branches, to shift and reverse at will the connectionV of a plurality of registers of the sounding. devices with the circuit` closers; a trackerboard'; anda-note sheet 115 -.-with meansy to cause the same to travel over said trackerboard and means to control the 5. An automatic musical instrument comprising lwu'nding devices divided into a plurality of registers, means for actuating ind ividually the sounding devices in eachvregister, a trackerboard and means to o erate said actuating means from the tracker ard, a sto device for controlling all the sound- 125 ing evices in each register, an electromag-l net actuatin each controlling device, a branch circuit for. each electromagnet, a

source of current for all' of said circuits, a pneumatically operated circuit closer for each branch, and a gang reversing switch connected'in said branch circuits to shift or reverse at will the control connections between the several registers and the several circuit closers.

In testimony whereof aix my. signature in presence of two Witnesses.

A FRANK A. PIECHER. Witnesses DOUGLAS V. ASHLEY, Q O, Wmn'M-AN'. 

